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The last time I was in Israel I stayed at a hotel that offered a breakfast buffet. The food was nothing less than amazing. They had cheeses and spreads from all over the middle east, a large assortment of fresh baked bread, familiar and exotic fresh fruit, and the most delicious yogurts I can remember having. It was very different from the breakfast buffets I have been to here in the US (less animal fat, less protein, less fried potatoes, less sweetened simple starches). In any case, most of us at that hotel ate smaller portions and seemed to be just as satisfied since the food was so fresh and tasty.

Usually I hate buffets, but no one seems to be mentioning the awesomeness that is a well-done BREAKFAST buffet.

I love spending 1-2 hours on a weekend at a nice hotel breakfast buffet, chatting, reading the paper etc. There's not as much stuff to over-gorge yourself on, and it's difficult to get most of the foods horrifically wrong.

Bad, but for different reasons. I don't think they'll make you fat if you have any self control at all. I think they are a hotbed of germs and disgusting people with few, if any, dining manners at all. The first and last time I went to a buffet restaurant, I saw a little girl stick her grimy hand up to the wrist in the chocolate pudding bin. Blech!! Her mother didn't even chastise her or tell the lady at the counter what she did. When I think of all the people that came along and ate that pudding....I can't even think of going back to a buffet now!

Some things to remember: poblano peppers are nothing like green chiles; New Mexico green chiles come in many varieties, from mild to XX hot, and they are grown up and down the Rio Grande valley from Chama to Las Cruces; Hatch chiles are widely known, but they are not always the best, since they are often grown to mass production standards; in-the-know locals buy their chiles in small batches directly from the growers at Farmer's Markets and roadside stands around the state; no matter where or what variety you buy, the roasting and steaming process can make a huge difference in how the chile tastes. For best results, chile should be blistered and charred at very hot temps for a few minutes, then cooked a little longer at low heat, then sealed in a plastic bag for at least an hour to steam. It's an art, and finding a competent roastmaster is as important as finding the right chile.
I've been enjoying NM chile for 28 years now, and cannot imagine living without it. In my freezer right now are medium, hot and extra hot varieties from four different growers in Chimayo, San Felipe Pueblo, Corrales and Lemitar. I even have a few bags of standout batches dating back to '07 that I'm hoarding for special occasions.

Hey, a couple more things about those great burgers. The New Mexico Tourism Dept. is putting together a Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail for visitors and has more than 150 restaurants nominated statewide for consideration See www.newmexico.org/greenchilecheeseburger. Also the NM State Fair is conducting the Governor's Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge on Sept. 22 with 20 or so competing restaurants. And note that chile is spelled with an E on the end here, whether pod or dish. Chili is a Tex-Mex thing.

This isn't even a matter of opinion, anaheims and poblanos are fine for other things, but a cheese burger with them is not a green chile cheese burger.

I'm writing this message from the south side of Santa Fe, NM where I am visiting family for the weekend, in the past few days I've had three GCCs (one from Blake's Lotaburger, one from the Plaza Restaurant, and one from a food stall on the street during Fiestas). None of them were anything more than what the name implies, a cheese burger with green chile, and all of them were awesome.

The canned stuff is not that great, you can find it frozen at major chain grocery stores in LA some times, though. I think Albertson's in Culver City is where I found it last.

But here's the thing. A green chile cheese burger (or a smothered carne adovada burrito, or huevos racheros with green) will always taste better here, maybe because it's fresher and a better quality, but probably because it's a rare food that's inseparable from the food culture (and Culture) that surounds it, and the place from which it grows. There really aren't that many things like that anymore. I'm just babbling here, but maybe what i'm getting at is that while you've gotta do what you gotta do to while you're stuck in whatever city, it's eminently worth it go to the source and try the genuine article, for any food. I fly back to LA tomorrow, so that's where this is coming from.

The other notable burger in the area is Bobcat Bite, line out the door, hot chile, and I've heard that they actually raise their own cattle.

Hi Joshua,
Check out the spice mixes. Would be perfect for this burger.
www.AlamoCityPepperProducts.com
Mark

I just got so very hungry for a burger!

Um, heck yeah!

Of course we have green chiles in Austin. The grocery roasts them in the store, but some years we buy a case and roast them at home. A few years ago I happened to be in Las Cruces and Deming when the chiles were just about to be picked. It was an awesome site driving by the fields of chiles. They are in the store now, but the season must be about to wrap up. Chuy's, where I first met my wife has the Elvis green chile fried chicken which beats a good chile cheese burger and I'm pretty sure they don't use chile powder or cumin. Yum!

@BigGirlPhoebz: Like soozm32, I don't recommend using the canned chiles. If you don't have a grill, or don't want to start the grill for these, you can char the chiles over the burner on the stove, which will give you same effect as grilling them.

Its not a green chile cheeseburger without Hatch green chiles...

josh - I have never been there but Shopsins in the Essex Street Market has a bunch of items on their menu with Hatch chile. Check it out: http://www.shopsins.com . The best bet for getting chiles for your own cooking would probably be online.